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POLAR WILDLIFE
Manitoba, Canada
Primeval boreal forests, windswept prairies and vast tidal flats converge in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It’ s a place of big skies and incredible biodiversity, but the far north region offers something extra— encounters with polar wildlife.
Set on Hudson Bay, 620 miles north of Winnipeg, Churchill has been dubbed the‘ polar bear capital of the world.’ Every autumn, the remote town witnesses a unique phenomenon: the entire Western Hudson Bay polar bear population— around 600 individuals— moving en masse toward the coast. While waiting for sea ice to reform, so they can access their winter hunting grounds, the normally solitary creatures have been known to exhibit unusual behaviors, forming alliances and socializing on the shore.
Trails forged by the Canadian and U. S. militaries allow visitors to observe the congregation in a safe and responsible way. Reinforced tundra vehicles rove the flat landscape, while helicopter tours offer a bird’ s-eye view. Bears commonly wander into Churchill itself— the town’ s Polar Bear Holding Facility was developed to house wayward youngsters until they can be released back into the wild. But for a chance to observe the bears in their natural habitat, head to a remote fly-in lodge such as Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge or Seal River Heritage Lodge. Here, explorers camp out under the aurora borealis, visible in parts of Manitoba for up to 300 nights a year.
The great migration begins in late September, with mid-October to mid- November the best time to see the bears on the move. Arctic foxes, caribou and snowy owls are also active during this period.
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